[assassin349]

When I was on vacation this past summer and driving from Miami to Melbourne, I noticed on the way there that as I was leaving Miami, there were more and more temperate plants and subtropical palms as I went up north, especially in the West Palm Beach area. Why is this? Does the 70 mile distance make that big of a difference in terms of cold snaps?

[Corrie22]

yes

[DanielAvery]

I notice a similar shift in foliage when I travel from Martin County up to the Space Coast/Brevard.

[Arcenal813]

Yes.

Same happens if you go from Sarasota to Fort Myers and Naples.

[AntonioR]

Florida is in a transition zone between the tropics and the sub-tropics. The further north you go, the less tropical it gets.

The areas of Florida I'm more familiar with is the Orlando area and beach areas like Cocoa Beach and that vicinity. I have also been to Miami and Palm Beach, but no question Orlando wins as the place I have been to the most in the state. The first time I went to Miami was a last minute trip by land from Orlando. Things that jumped to me regarding vegetation is how coconut palms and royal palms are lacking in Orlando while they are everywhere in Miami. You also see many in the Palm Beach area.

Nowadays there are many fox tail palms in the Orlando area which gives the vicinity a touch of a more tropical look, but those palms appeared about two decades ago. The times I have been to the Orlando area before literally there were none. I think the hardiness of the fox tail palm has more to do with its appearance and popularity in the Orlando area than actual warming.

With that said, while there are no mature coconut palms in the Orlando area, now you will see a royal palm here or there while I don't remember seeing them when I first started to visit the Orlando area. With those palms specifically, it could be due to the warming effect.

[AntonioR]

Originally Posted by DanielAvery

I notice a similar shift in foliage when I travel from Martin County up to the Space Coast/Brevard.

The first time I went to the Space Coast, particularly Cocoa Beach which was the first beach I visited in Florida, I noticed there were a few coconut palms (and by a few, I mean a few) and they were not the young types that are near the ground. That cought my interest because in Orlando, where I was prior to driving to the coast, there were none. Orlando and Cocoa Beach are basically at the same latitude, so I guess the coast is slightly warmer than inland probably due to the effect of the Gulf Stream.

This was a long time ago. In fact, the four lane road (two lanes in each direction) that exist now between the Orlando area and the Melbourne/Cocoa Beach coast back then was a two lane road (one in each direction.)

One thing I have noticed about Florida since the first time I went there is how there are hardly any palm trees the moment you leave a built up area. Lots and lots of pine trees though. This is completely different from what I have seen in the Dominican Republic. Lots and lots of palm trees in most places, built up and in the middle of nowhere. Even on the mountains there are many not placed there by man. Then again, there it never gets cold except in a handful of places on top of the mountains. In Florida even Miami has seen a snowfall (very few) while nowhere there has seen a single snow flake fall from the sky. Maybe that has something to do with the natural vegetation vs the vegetation that exist in an area because that was created by man rather than nature per se.

[Corrie22]

Originally Posted by AntonioR

now you will see a royal palm here or there while I don't remember seeing them when I first started to visit the Orlando area. With those palms specifically, it could be due to the warming effect.

Royals were native almost all the way up the St Johns to Jacksonville.... In 1774 William Bartram, described Royal Palms near Astor, Florida

in the 1500's - 1800's citrus grew in So Carolina

it's gotten colder

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by Corrie22

Royals were native almost all the way up the St Johns to Jacksonville.... In 1774 William Bartram, described Royal Palms near Astor, Florida

in the 1500's - 1800's citrus grew in So Carolina

it's gotten colder

If you go around the lakes of Lake County, you will see some very tall, very mature Royal palms that appear to be native to the land. Lake Dora comes to mind, especially around the nature trail.

[Corrie22]

Clermont royal > https://www.flickr.com/photos/hollyh...9/20599621356/

Jacksonville royals > https://www.google.com/maps/@30.2139...l=en&entry=ttu

[Corrie22]

Originally Posted by Arcenal813

If you go around the lakes of Lake County, you will see some very tall, very mature Royal palms that appear to be native to the land. Lake Dora comes to mind, especially around the nature trail.

what kills them is not the cold up there....when they get that tall...lightning takes them out